The Legend of Zelda: Zeitgeist Children
by cuccos want to kill me
Summary: A young violinist, a kind and gifted young woman, and the son of an ancient evil- These unlikely souls serve as the zeitgeists of modern ideals in a future Hyrule that has lost its faith, freedom, and legends. In a world dominated by the evil queen, Urooban, monsters plague the streets, people are slaughter, and the "unworthy" are enslaved. A "feels" story.


Hi guys, it's me again. To prove it, I've got a new Zelda fanfiction coming your way!

Fun fact: This idea came about because I was watching a duet with Lindsey Stirling and it just said "Hey, unsuspecting fanboy- Here I am!" and I have been stuck with it for like... 5 minutes... Literally, I immediately started working on it. I don't plan stuff... So bear with me. Oh, my playlist, btw, is: System of a Down and the Offspring...

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**May 11th, 1993-**

_Entry number 46:_

_This is getting a lot easier, and it's kind of helping me relax. At first, the idea of keeping a journal was kind of weird to me, but I'm getting used to it. Anyway, sorry for blabbering... I mean, sorry to an inanimate book is kind of weird, but you... I guess... Um... Anyway... I'm just outside Hyrule Castle now- my journey's almost complete. Man, I'm thirsty, I wonder if there are any good bars around here. I mean, not to drink alcohol or anything, just water! Or... If I'm to blend in here, should I drink it? Will they think it odd for me to drink water? I don't know... I wonder what my cousin will look like? Will she take me in like Mom hoped? I've got to go... Bye..._

As soon as he stepped foot in the bustling city, something awoke in the realm, as if the last thread of fate had snapped. The road had been laid, destiny locked. Tall buildings towered over him, casting dark shadows on him, causing him to gulp. Maybe it was intimidation from the unfamiliar industrial sights, or he, too, felt it snap.

_He_ was Adlez White, and it was as obvious that he was an outsider as his vibrant red hair. His hair hung over his eyes lazily and graced his shoulders from underneath a straw hat, showing the face of a shy young man. Curious blue eyes peered all around with wonder and slight precariousness as he gripped the leather satchel around his shoulder. He wore faded, common clothes that contrasted severely with the crisp, formal clothing of the city-dwellers: A tattered blue t-shirt, faded jeans, and near-completely worn brown sandals. On his back was a just-as-old-and-used black instrument case.

With a gulp, Adlez took a step forward- Suddenly, a screeching noise roared in his ear. He gasped and quickly jumped back on to the sidewalk. He opened his eyes in time to watch the taxi-driver that had honked at him flick him off and speed off again. He frowned and took a deep sigh. "Well... At least the locals are friendly..." He mumbled to himself.

Looking both ways this time, he crossed the street to the next sidewalk, where a horde of people made their way in their commute. The faces that surrounded him were not the ones he knew, the smiling faces of his friends and family, but hostile, uncaring and indifferent faces. It made him a bit nervous, but he already knew from past experience to keep his head down and keep walking.

In the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a quaint little red shop smooshed between two brick buildings with stairs crawling up their sides. As he drew closer, he could smell the familiar scent of cinnamon beckoning him towards the building, and he instantly recalled memories of his homeland. With a small smile, he wondered inside.

It was a dark store, with a few dim lights scattered throughout it, and the floorboards made an eerie squeak. The air was smokey and thick- he could almost taste the food being burned on the unseen stove. The faded blue and cheery wallpaper was peeling off of the walls, revealing the vivid paint that once was in contrast the old and dying paint around it. However, that was not what caught his attention. Abruptly, he found himself in the midst of a nasty fight.

"You can't do this!" A voice immediately greeted him as he entered.

"Sorry, girlie, but it's the queen's orders," A gruff man replied to the voice.

"Greedy bastards! How are we supposed to survive if you pluck every rupee we break our backs for!" The same voice, the voice of an older woman, hollered as she chucked pots and glasses at the man. Adlez moved out-of-the-way of the hurdling objects that flew towards the man just ahead of him, a soldier in full metal suit and a purple sash around his waist.

"Ma'am, I would watch it if I were you, or I'll have to up the taxes. You wouldn't want to lose another daughter, would you?" He cackled. The woman gave a hysterical expression and dove for him. A young man, seeming to be a server, caught her and dragged her away before she could inflict her wrath on the soldier.

With that, the man turned around and moved towards the door, stopping in front of Adlez. There was a silent glare as he stopped, as if he were staring into the boy's soul, and Adlez could see his red eyes and the green skin around them, but the soldier disappeared behind the door before he could register the sight.

The man gone, Adlez turned his attention to the sobbing in the back room. Cocking his head to the side curiously, he strolled over to the room, maneuvering through the clutter of wooden tables and chairs, and peeked inside. The balling old woman from before sitting on a bed, a young man comforting her, a shattered picture frame of a young woman- These sight peeked back at him as he tried to figure out what was going on.

"Those greedy tyrants! Those monsters! How _dare_ they ask more of me! I gave a son and a daughter to the country! I gave every rupee I have! I served the queen and delivered her first child!" She cried into the young man's arms. He patted her back.

"I know, Mum. But Jerga and Kaji wouldn't want you to cry like this- they'd want you to be happy," The young man soothed her.

"I know this, but it's just... I... Oh, Yugi, you have to promise you'll never leave this old woman- that you'll protect your little sister!"

"Of course. And I- Huh?" Her son stopped and turned to look at the peeping boy. The old woman looked, too. "Excuse me..."

"Uh... I'm sorry. I just heard you crying, and I... I wanted to know if you were okay, and... I... Well... I'm sorry-" Adlez stammered. The old woman smiled and stood up as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Now now, Yugi, he's just a sweet boy," She said gently. "Come with me."

She led Adlez passed the room and to the bar area in the back where large rows of shelves were nailed against the wall behind a long counter. Sitting him on one of the stools, she went behind the counter and grabbed a bottle of water from the shelf. As she poured it into a slightly foggy glass, the smell of cinnamon reached his nose again. He turned towards the window adjacent to the entrance. On the sill was some sort of pie. He gulped.

"That pie is supposed to draw in customers. Heh heh, it's only worked on you so far," The old woman chuckled after passing him his drink. Adlez blushed. So, where are you from?"

"Snow Village, ma'am," Adlez replied.

"I don't believe I've heard of that one- It used to be I got visitors from all over Hyrule, so I know a lot of places."

"It's in the forest, but the people there don't usually come out. They're kind of afraid of Hyrule for some reason," He explained. She did a double-take.

"The forest?! Boy, you're far from home! You're too young to be traveling alone- Aren't you with your folks or something?" She gasped. He shook his head. "Are you on a pilgrimage of some sort to the old temple? I heard those people in the forest were religious."

"Actually, I came here to ask my cousin if I can live with her. My mom died, and the village won't let me stay there anymore for some reason," He replied. She thought for a while before shaking her head and leaning against the counter. Her green eyes had a gleam of motherly concern.

"It's a rough city, especially for someone like yourself. Hell, I know of a few tough men who were swallowed by this city. Market City isn't exactly what you would call "easy" of "friendly", and it's seen more than its fair share of pain," She mumbled.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for starters, it's right underneath the nose of Queen Urooban. She has ears on every corner, and we bare the blade of every command and punishment first. What's more, this is where the soldiers are stationed; the bokoblin, stalfos, and moblin troops think they can bother every poor citizen they want to. Then, there's the fact that Queen Urooban has increased taxes by 67%," She rambled on. Adlez bowed his head in dismay.

"Mum... Remember, you have to watch your tongue," The young man from the other room reminded her. She scoffed and turned to get another bottle from the shelf. The man sat beside Adlez.

"So, are you a musician?" He asked. Adlez nodded.

"I was hoping I could get a job at the castle as a violinist. My mom said that-"

"I wouldn't do that," He replied. Adlez gave him a questioning stare. "Once the queen is tired of her employees, she... Well... They don't go home, let's just leave it at that."

There was a long silence as the old woman poured another glass, this time with whiskey of some sort, and the two stared between each other. Adlez shuffled around in his shoes in the awkward silence. Outside, the sound of beeping car horns and loud chattering was a dull roar, and the lights in the back of the bar flickered a bit. A mosquito flew by.

"Um... You wouldn't happen to know my cousin... Would you?" Adlez asked timidly.

"I know all sorts of people. What's their name?" The old woman responded.

"Zelda-Anne Redfang," He replied. She turned around smiled.

"Oh yes, I know the girl. She's very kind to the people here, despite being a Gerudo. Yugi, go get me a pencil and a piece of paper," She replied. The young man went off. "I'm sure you're not used to our customs, but Hylains and other humans are regarded as common filth. Only Gerudos are treated as citizens. She is half Hylain and Gerudo, but she is the daughter of one of the most powerful noble families. However, you're a Hylain, so I don't know if she'll be able to adopt you. Although, it's pretty pretty rare for a Hylain to have red hair... Maybe you could pretend to be one."

"That's aweful? What's the difference between Hylains and Gerudos? Why are they mean to them? Don't people say anything?" Adlez questioned her, genuinely disturbed.

The old woman sighed and gave a gentle smile, as if touched by his indignation. Her son, Yugi, returned and handed her what she had requested. Promptly, she jotted something down on the paper and slid it across the granite counter to Adlez. They made eye contact for a while, her clouded, old green eyes against his blue ones, until he glanced down at the paper and read what it had.

_Zelda-Anne Red fang  
Noble Road  
4th house down  
Blue and white mansion_

"Thank you, ma'am," Adlez thanked her.

"Please, Vieja is my name. Drop by and say hello again when you get the chance, okay?" She replied. He nodded. Then, he lit up and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small velvet pouch. Opening it quickly, he pulled out two red rupees and placed them on the counter. "Son, the water's free. Besides, it's only worth five rupees. That's 40. He glared at the shiny moneys and tried to process it.

"That's... The yellow one?" He asked. She shook her head. He reached into his bag and pulled out a blue rupee. She chuckled and nodded. Adlez took the two red rupees and put them back, giving her the blue one. Before she could protest, he was halfway out the door, waving goodbye.

"Well, if no one's gonna do anything- I'll do it! I'll change things, you'll see!" He added with a smile before he was gone.

**May 11th, 1993-**

_Entry number 47:_

_So, my cousin lives in a blue mansion on Noble Road. I'm not sure where that is, but I'll figure it out. Oh, apparently, this city is pretty mean. Hylains are bullied by Gerudos for some reason, and the monsters Mom told me about hurt people. But I'll save them. Maybe if I talk to the queen and tell her to stop being so mean, she'll be nicer and Ms. Veeayga will be happy and not cry? Anyway, I'm headed off to Zelda-An's!_


End file.
